English Is Italian

[Pumpkin Lover]

I'm doing research for a graduation dinner (again). Last year, my fam and I ate at Balthazar: the food was incredible, but my parents didn't eat so much--I think they were a little intimidated by the prices, and while my three siblings and I ate enough for an army, I feel like they were left behind a bit.

So, while reading TONY, I saw the goods for English Is Italian. $40 for all-you-can-eat? With Todd English on board? Am I dreaming or is this a great deal? If you have the goods on this restaurant, spill 'em, because I need 'em!

[BJL]

I was there a few weeks ago and found it most enjoyable. Tons of food for each course. The biggest dissapointment was the table side mozzarella - not worth the extra cost. Very decent wine list and the food was good. Service was a bit odd, but I chalked that up to it being so new. The bar area is great, and they served nice small bites of pizza and foccacia up there.

It is indeed a fabulous value. We had a few picky eaters and vegetarians with us, but everyone seemed to get something they enjoyed. The family style presentation and sharing makes for a fun evening as well.

[Rui]

I was there last Saturday for a friend's birthday dinner and had a great time! I went in with fairly low expectations ... I just had Roberto's a week ago and didn't think English would come remotely close. But, I was pleasantly surprised.

I think English is a great choice for groups. In fact, it is probably best enjoyed as a group. As a party of 10, we tried about 8 appetizers, 6 pastas, and three entrees. Most of the dishes were well executed, the highlights being the squash agnolotti- which was brought out still cooking in its saucepan- and the asparagus with poached egg and pamesan. The great part of dining family-style is that there is always variety. I was in kid-like anticipation of each new dish!

The waiters will try to push you into getting "extras," but I would just go wtih the $39 fixed menu. There's more than enough food and more than enough variety.

Edited April 5, 2005 by Rui (log)

[JennyUptown]

Can I get an address/url/etc. please?

[SobaAddict70]

English Is Italian

Soba

[little ms foodie]

Also here

Based on the comments here I've got reservations for 7 people on Saturday.

[Pumpkin Lover]

Ooh, Wendy, you'll be going this weekend? I'll wait to make reservations until I hear your report; I trust your judgments.

Thanks for the comments so far, guys!

[CMA]

My partner and I had dinner at English Is Italian about 6 weeks ago. It was truly delicious and very reasonably priced for the atmosphere, service, plating, and quality and quantity of food. We each had the basic tasting menu for $39 without any supplements (as mentioned previously) and it was more food than we could eat. We are two 6' 180-200 lb. men with good appetites. I can not remember specifically the dishes, but they were presented as about 5-6 plates per course. I believe there were 3 courses and dessert...or possibly 4 courses plus dessert. It was a gustatory marathon.

We were lucky enough to be seated in the first enclosed booth just to the right as you enter the dining area. The full view of the open dining room directly in front of us was very nice. There appeared to be a second-floor bar on the right side that overlooked the dining room, but we did not go up there. The waitstaff were clearly interested in explaining the dishes as they presented them and made sure we understood what the dishes were. They provided attentive service, but did not hover and allowed us to graze at our leisure.

Highly recommended.

Edited April 6, 2005 by CMA (log)

[Pumpkin Lover]

Can you guys recall what was on the menu--what kinds of antipasti, pastas, meats were offered?

And is it weird that I was suspicious of a Chodorow (sp?) restaurant because of "The Restaurant?" I guess I've never eaten at one of his establishments, and am unaware of his real track record.

Nice comments on the service, CMA--thanks!

[little ms foodie]

ok, had dinner at E is I on Saturday night. It was ok but I personally wouldn't go back.

I really like the space and the cool wine cellar. We started upstairs in the bar. Our cocktail waitress sucked! She was sooooooo slow, lord! But again the space with the couches and all is cool. Good music, good vibe.

Our party of 7 was seated right on time. The service continued to be lackluster. The waiter explained the menu but sounded very bored! They brought out the antipasto, a huge selection of salamu, asparagus with egg, crostini, chicken liver pate, pea and mint spread, fried risotto, and some other things I'm forgetting. It looked great. I had to ask them to bring out more of the small plates as there are 5 asparagus stalks and 7 people, they seemed surprised that I asked???

Pasta was up next. First they walked around with a skillet and gave each person one each of a stuffed raviolo- 1 was artichokes and basil, one peas and something. then one bowl of buccatini with clams was set down, one small Staub dish of shells and cheese and one tine bowl of mushroom risotto. All looked good but the size of the dish was for 2 not 7. I had to ask repeatidly for additional dishes, the wait was LONG! Everyone felt akward as what to take.....the pastas themselves were good but not exceptional.

Meat came out, braised short ribs, chicken catcatorri and grilled white fish, all fine but nothing fantastic. As someone else said the meat was a bit dry.

2 people ordered dessert, some had after dinner drinks. We didn't feel rushed we just felt like the waiters couldn't give a damn and that the kitchen was on rations.

I have no idea what the tab was.

edited to add that I don't think there would have been issues with a smaller party size and also that the desserts weren't included in the prix fixe.

Edited April 11, 2005 by little ms foodie (log)

[SobaAddict70]

Service at English Is Italian was too often sloppy and occasionally inexplicable. On one of my visits, a bartender held an empty wineglass up to the light, frowned at the profusion of visible fingerprints and other smudges on it, then filled it with Chianti anyway and handed it to me.

I was impressed, for example, by fluffy, minty sweet-pea ravioli under a shimmering gloss of butter.

But the ravioli could not redeem a dish of pasta shells, four cheeses, béchamel and breadcrumbs, an outrageous exercise in senselessly gooey overkill.

English Is Italian (Frank Bruni)

Related discussion regarding Mr. Bruni's reviewing style and the star system can be found here.

Soba

[Serly]

Service was my biggest complaint here. Some dishes good, most passable, and some regetable, but with the quantity and price, it was expected.

As mentioned above servers were enthusiastic about explaining the food (must have been important in training), but the pacing was terrible. At one point we had most of all three courses on our table at the same time. Things were going cold, our waiter kept exclaiming "I didn't tell the kitchen to fire this!" but he didn't take any food away and bring fresh when we were ready. The floor manager came by and remarked on how much food was on the table, again there was no remedy. All three courses were served in well under an hour.

We'll not return.